Tune In to the Wind on the Great Glen

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

Embarking in Inverness

Standard embarkation time for Grayhound is 2pm, so you may wish to arrive the evening before and stay in Inverness for a night, exploring the city’s old town and perhaps paying a visit to The Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, which has fantastic collections spanning local and Highland history and culture.

Once on board you’ll enjoy a familiarisation from the crew before setting off through the Clachnaharry sea lock to start your inland waterway adventure.

The Caledonian Canal

Passage through the canal is a fantastic sailing holiday, especially for those who aren’t quite ready for a deep sea adventure. There are some sedate stretches along the narrow channels, but there are also plentiful opportunities for ‘proper sailing’, across stunning steep-sided Lochs with a stiff breeze.

Grayhound spends much time sailing the fjords of Scandinavia, and is well used to harnessing the winds in narrow stretches of water between high mountains! You’ll only use the engine when absolutely necessary, so this trip is perfect for someone who wants to learn the subtleties of sailing. Grayhound is wonderfully receptive to the slightest breeze, so you can enjoy ‘tuning’ her to the wind.

This vital link between the North Sea and the West Coast, the Caledonian Canal doesn’t actually include all that much man made canal. Thomas Telford, the engineer behind the canal, recognised that the ‘Great Glen’ fault-line did most of the work already, and what was needed was to link up the Lochs Ness, Oich and Lochy with a few additional channels (the man made sections totalling only around a third of the total length).

One of the biggest challenges to shipping through the canal is the difference in altitude across its length, with some sections reaching 32 meters above sea level.

To combat this there are 29 locks along the Caledonian, including the famous ‘Neptune’s Staircase’, the longest chain of locks in Britain. 8 locks raise ships a total of 20m in under half a mile. This is a real sight to behold, and apart from the upgrade to hydraulic rather than manual capstans (speeding up the process considerably), the technology in use is pretty much the same as it was when it was first built in the 1820s.

With Ben Nevis behind you, the final stretch of this passage opens up into Loch Linnhe, and the winds will pick up as you head towards open sea. Negotiate some of the small isles and sail into the bay behind Kerrera to reach Oban. These are some of the most spectacular landscapes yet, with the Isle of Mull stretching out in front opposite the dramatic mainland coast.

Disembarking in Oban

The unofficial capital of the West Highlands, Oban’s transport links make onward planning nice and straightforward.. There are good rail links and some of the most glorious landscapes to pass through en route home again. Standard disembarkation time for Grayhound is 11am, so following a hearty breakfast you can have time to explore ashore before making your onward journey.

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

Mostly flat water, with the possibility of some slightly stiffer conditions once you set out down Loch Linnhe towards Oban on the last day of your trip. The wind can be quite strong along the canal, especially in the more open natural sections and, as its Scotland, you should expect a bit of rain!

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail.

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities and how much you are expected to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation. There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on the vessel pages.

AGILITY & FITNESS

Every customer sailing with us will need to fill in basic medical questions on their booking application. If you are not sure if your current level of fitness and agility are up to a voyage, then please ring the Classic Sailing Office on 01326 53 1234 and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better.

What to pack for a sailing holiday on Grayhound

What is included

• Duvets, linen, pillows
• Sailing instruction
• All meals on board (professional chef)
• Tea, coffee, biscuits, fruit and day time snacks.
• Night watch snacks (if applicable)
• You don't have to do the cleaning, but help with the washing up is always appreciated.
• Waterproof and insulated jackets and trousers
• Life Jacket and safety equipment, we also have child automatic life jackets.
• Charging facilities for phones, cameras and tablets etc.

What is not included

• Towels
• Travel to joining port
• Tours, shore expeditions with any hire vehicle or local guide (optional & shared costs)
• Personal travel insurance See Topsail Insurance LINK
• There is no bar on board so you might like to bring a bottle or two of wine to enjoy with meals. You can also buy organic sailed cargo wine, red, white and rose onboard.

What to Bring

Don't forget, Grayhound is 108ft overall so she will not always fit into small yacht marinas and she will often have to anchor off in the bay or port. Be prepared to get into a small boat with your luggage and pack sensibly protecting any vulnerable items like cameras. Grayhound has waterproof and insulated flotation jackets and trousers on board which are very warm. In summer or hot locations you may wish to bring some lightweight waterproofs. Even in the Caribbean you can get tropical downpours or spray on deck when sailing in strong winds. A mobile phone so you can ring the ship in an emergency or if you are running late on joining day. Also it means we can contact you if we have to change the joining port for any reason. Grayhound's phone number will always be supplied with your balance confirmation e-mail. Shoes with a good grip for deck & aloft Rubber Boots or second pair of shoes for wet weather or getting in/out of dinghies Swim suit & beach towel. You are welcome to bring snorkel and mask - especially worth it in the Caribbean or Cape Verde. Suntan lotion & sunglasses - consider sunblock and lip salve protection in Canaries, Cape Verde, Trans Altantic, Caribbean. Sun hat / warm hat, scarves, gloves Clothes that dry quickly. Mix of warm, waterproof & windproof layers Small rucksack for going ashore Travel insurance documents/tickets Personal medicines/ spectacles Spending money/passport Camera/binoculars etc Phone chargers. 240 generator on board UK three pin sockets. We welcome musical instruments and you can plug in ipods or CDs into ships stereo. There are storage areas for each bunk . Please pack in a soft rucksack or bag. A torch is useful as a few baggage spaces are at the foot of bunks with reading light at other end. There is no alcohol to buy on board, so you are welcome to bring a bottle or two to drink with meals. If you decide to buy some on arrival You can also buy Grayhound t shirts, mugs and Breton tops from our ship's shop we accept pounds or euros.

 

Thank you so much to all the Grayhound crew for an unforgettable adventure. I cannot imagine a kinder and better crew with which to sail.

Caroline

Thanks all for a great time, I really enjoyed it. Fastest Channel crossing I have managed!

Barney

An unforgettable experience

Jonathon

We've had two idyllic sailing trips. One particularly fantastic day scrambling over big volcanic rocks down a deep craggy valley to a black sand beach with dramatically high cliffs. Grayhound was waiting, attracting attention because she's so beautiful and unique. Swimming out to her in the clear waters o the Atlantic rates as one of life's highlights.

Grayhound Guest

Fantastic, exhilarating and an honour to be on such a ship.

Des

Excellent company of genuine all round sailors. The wind in my face and the swell beneath. 5 stars for welcome, accommodation on board, safety, quality of sailing, food, skipper and crew.

Barry

Outstanding and unforgettable experience. Loved learning the lug rig, meeting the crew and other guests, playing an active role on board.

Charlie

Brilliant sail on an interesting boat with friendly and knowledgeable people.

Steve

Three masted lugger Grayhound is a unique sight and a joy to take photos of. Not only does she look very unusual as it is a rig not seen much now, she has a mission to deliver cargoes under sail, so she is the darling of the press. Photos from Classic Sailing customers, ships crew and professional photographers. We hope it gives a flavour of her sailing, life on board, the people that come, her beautiful sailing grounds and what it is like to live below decks.